Your daily crossword is still a brain flex, but scientists are testing a more focused question: Can you train an aging brain to process information faster and potentially change its trajectory?
Why it matters: A growing body of research suggests certain kinds of cognitive exercises can produce measurable changes in the brain.
One long-running trial even linked a specific type of training to fewer dementia diagnoses.
Zoom in: Researchers from three universities randomly assigned 53 participants to groups that trained weekly for about three months.
One group practiced higher-order thinking, such as planning, reasoning and shifting attention.
Another concentrated on processing speed and visual attention. A third, active-control group played familiar games, including Solitaire, word searches and a version of Connect Four.
What they found: Only the speed-training group showed favorable shifts in amyloid beta, a protein closely associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Reality check: There's still no single accepted measure of a "healthy" brain, and brain training isn't a substitute for exercise or other healthy habits.
